Softball Powers Past Utah, 11-9 – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 12, 2006
Box Score
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Ohio State softball team continued its offensive punch in New Mexico this weekend and supported freshman pitcher Kim Reeder, who picked up her first collegiate win as the Buckeyes topped Utah, 11-9, Sunday in the Hilton Las Cruces Invitational. Ohio State hit five extra-base hits and took advantage of three Utah errors to improve to 4-0 on the season and set up a showdown the Texas-San Antonio in the tournament’s championship game later Sunday.
Reeder (Salinas, Calif./Notre Dame H.S.) struck out eight batters in 5.2 innings of work, while freshman Courtney Pruner (Akron, Ohio/Ellet) came on in relief to earn the save with 1.1 innings of shutout pitching.
Ohio State seniors Chelsea Baker (Gahanna, Ohio/DeSales) and Stacy Hibma (Buena Park, Calif./Valley Christian) and junior Megan Schwab (Glendale, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) all homered to give the Buckeyes an 11-4 lead before Utah (2-3) scored five unearned runs in the sixth inning to close the deficit.
With the score tied 2-2, the Buckeyes loaded the bases in the third inning with no outs and would go on to score four runs in the frame. Pruner walked to score sophomore Liz Caputo (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly), who had singled, and Schwab grounded out to shortstop to score Baker, who had walked. Senior Billie Carder (Celina, Ohio/Celina) then laced a two-run triple down the right field line to score both junior Christina Douglas (Mesa, Ariz./Dobson), who was hit by a pitch, and Pruner. The Utes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning but Ohio State earned the lead with two unearned runs in the bottom of the first. Junior Nycole Koyano (Walnut, Calif./Walnut) walked to lead off the game for the fourth-consecutive game, stole second and scored on an error by the Utah left fielder on a ball hit by Douglas. Hibma then singled up the middle to score Douglas.
Baker’s home run was a two-out solo shot in the fourth and two batters later Hibma launched a two-run shot. Schwab then led off the fifth inning with a solo homer and Ohio State would add another run in the frame when Juarez doubled and later scored on a throwing error on a ball hit by Baker.
